LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 226, 6 January 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The members of the Taranaki Land Board will proceed on their annual pilgrimage to the backblacks on the 24th inst.

It is stated that the salesman who effected the sale of an estate at Waiotapu received the sum of £2>Uol) as commission on a £'30,000 deal.

The contract for the supply of shell rock for the Omona riding of the Eltham County Council was let on Wednesday to Mr. H. A. Shaw at 10s lid per yard. Owing to the Taranaki Jockey Club's races falling on February 10, the date of the seaside excursion to New Plymouth from Stratford has been altered to February 2.

Dairy farmers in South Wairarapa are said tp be doing unusually well this season, and' a number of those who have hitherto gone in for sheep purpose shortly taking up dairying. It is probable as a result of the visit of Mr. Payne, president of the Wanganui centre of the Royal Life Saving Society, that a branch of the society will be formed in New Plymouth. The dinner menu at a Wanganui hotel on the night of the Webb-Pearce boat race had some original dishes, which included: "Webb on toast!" "Roast Tuck.!" "Compote de Pearce!" etc.

There was a scarcity of half-sovereigns in England a couple of months ago. Something went amiss with the machine at the Royal Mint which turns them out and could not be got into running order again for some time. The result of a post mortem examination on the body of a two months' old child in a suburb of Melbourne showed that the cause of death was due to a pin which had been swallowed, perforated the intestine, and set up inflammation. In a valedictory letter in the Chronicle a Mormon elder who has sojourned in Wanganui for some time says there arc now 2065 voluntary missionaries in various parts of the world. They spend from two to eight years in the service, paying their own expenses and keeping themselves out of their private incomes. The Broken Hill beer strike, which hitherto had been conined'to the main portion of the city, has extended to the suburbs. The railway town residents decided to give one day's notice to the publicans that beer must be reduced from M to 4d per pint. The publicans regard the claims of the men as unfair and inequitable, especially as the men are to receive higher wages from the beginning of the year. These are significant words from the Ironmasters' Weekly, which should appeal to the common-sense of working men in every part of the world:—"lf the British working man could realise the millions he has lost as the result of his partiality for striking he would be amazed; and, in addition to being amazed, he would probably curse those injudicious advisers who egged him on to split with his employer."

The Rev. Canon Siggers, writing on the Dunedin Cemetery scandal, says:—"l hope that some good will come out of this aad episode, viz., the passing of an amendment to the Cemeteries and Burials Act, whereby every burial shall be treated on an equal footing, whether it he the burial of a pauper or a millionaire, and that on no pretext whatever shall it be lawful to disturb the remains of a pauper, or to bury again in the same grave that a pauper has been buried in if such burial involves disturbing the remains, or the soil, etc., occupied thereby." Areas aggregating 77,373 acres are to be offered by the Government for selection during January. The land is distributed over the provinces of Auckland, Taranaki, Wcstland, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland. In the Auckland province there are 33 sections from 88 to 299 acres (a total of 5222 acres) ol first-class land offering in the Thames and Waihou district (Hauraki Plains) at prices from £6lO to £1450 per section. Ih'ere are also over three thousand acres of pastoral land in the Hauraki mining district for license, and second and third-class lands, mostly for lease' and of an acreage sufficient for farming, in various districts throughout the north.

It is a curious fact that capital punishment has most friends in quiet countries, and is chiefly denounced in countries where violence claims frequent victims. The Spanish Government is preparing to abolish the death penalty. Another country which shrinks from employing the gallows is Italy, where crime, thanks to the machinations of the Mafia of Sicily, the Camorra of Naples, and the far-reach-ing arm of the "Black Hand" of New York, is more rife than in any other part of Europe. On the other hand, a quiet country like Germany sets its face more sternly than ever against any relaxation. Fifty jears ago its jurists voted against the death penalty; last month at Berlin two-thirds of their Congress were in favor of it.

Another graphic object-lesson upon the value of publicity is given by the discovery of the headquarters of thp Iloundsditch murderers. The London police authorities, despite their limitless resources and tireless detective work, hod completely failed in obtaining any dotty-' ito information until the newspaper reports attracted the notice of an innocent landlord. Crippen was recognised in mid-Atlantic owing to similar newspaper publicity, and would probably bo alive and at liberty to-day had the London police pursued the policy of silence f<> dear to the police authorities of XdV Zealand. There is no reason whatever for the amazing love of secrecy with regard to crimes which has been developed in our Dominion bureaucracy.—Auckland Herald.

For over twelve months the higher officials of the police force in New Zealand have awaited the important »p----poifftments which were understood to be likely to follow the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Police Force, says the New Zealand TimesMr. Waldegrave was placed at the head of the department, and it was expected that an important position was fo be created for someone with a first-hand knowledge of the work of crime prevention. Mr. Waldegrave has been a successful administrator, and the question now arises as to the necessity jtfi « police expert as well at the h*alof affairs. This point, when put flftlie Hon. Dr. Findlay (Minister of Juffcp), drew 110 definite answer, though thljtinister made it clear that any unce»|nty which has existed will be endejlpt: January 10th, the date of a full (■}}<« meeting, to take place in WelliajH|'

Mr. Alfred Hill's, opera, "The Moorish Maid," is being revived in Sydney. The usual monthly meeting of the Borough Council will be held on th# 10th inst., instead of on Monday next.

The Taranaki Executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union are offering a prize of £lO for the best essay, not exceeding 4000 words, on the achievements of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, its position at present and its future prospects.

That local people do not appreciate the beautiful park that nature has provided for them is evident by the fact that a settler, who had spent 50 to 60 years here, confessed the other day to not having been past the "poet'R bridge!"

A new and novel calendar for 1011 h to hand from the New Zealand Express Company. By the "Simplex" Perpetual Calendar (patented), dates and days of the week years in advance or as 1 fai back as 1000, can be determined in a moment. The calendar will be foumi very useful to the commercial community, and also in the homo. The Park Club's tennis and croquet courts will be open for play on Saturday, afternoon from 1.30; and on Thursday and Saturday afternoons in next week. The croquet lawns will be available this afternoon as well. There was a good muster of players yesterday, and. several members played their initial games. Tonight the men will have the courts to themselves.

The deathpf Lord Collins is announced by a cablegram from London. The Right Hon. Sir Richard Henn Collins was l created a peer in 1007. He was the bob of Mr. Stcpien Collins, Q.C., of Dublin, and was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and Downing College,. Cantab. He was arbitrator on the Venezula boundary dispute in 1897, and held several important positions, being front 1901 to 19W chairman of the Historical M.S.S. Commission.

The automatic pistols with which the London anarchists aTe armed are very deadly wapons, more so than the ordinary revolver. With the revolver it is necessary to keep pressing and releasing thf trigger to keep up a succession of allots, but with the automatic weapon all that is required is to keep a steady-: pressure on the trigger and the bulle{a, to the number of six or ten, accordingSto the description of weapon, keep pouring out as from a machine gun. Thjfr enables a more deadly aim to be maintained than can be the case with a revolver of the ordinary type.—Eltham Argus. !

C. E. Holway, the world's champion sprinter, arrived in Christchurch from the souiji yesterday, says a Press message, to; fulfil hTs engagements at the Christchurch Cycling and Motor Club's athletieicarrlival at Lancaster Park on Saturdw week. He was met at the station! by a large number of local sportsnjm, and welcomed to the city. Hoi waji expressed his confidence of being able to! still further reduce the records ho established at Timaru Inst Monday. the local ground being much harder and faster. He will remain in Christchurch till about the 18th inst., when he leaves for the North Island. The Acts connected with the case of grave (Ulceration that took place in tho Southern Cemetery, Duncdini recently, are doubtless fresh in the minds of the public,! It was considered probable Ml the tiac that the trustees of the cemetery rould take action against the sexton wjo was said to be responsible in the nK&r. This officer was suspended, but riljhas since been re-instated. "If this Leans," says the Otago Daily TimesPthat no more is to be heard of the Je in far as the trustees are concerted, it will not satisfy the police, whof're prepared to take nroceedings agaijjit the sexton under The Crimes Actjfn a charge of 'indecently interfering lyth dead human remains.'"

R|erring to a paragraph in vesterdayft issue about the reduction in the price of fruit locally, a housewife complains that Xmas week prices of vegetables were absolutely extortionate. French beans were selling at fourpence a pound, and peas at fifteenpence a peck. These prices were ruling without doult, but one grower failed to find ft buyer for his scarlet rurraer beans, except at a penny a pound—and about tt traijnredweight of good, wholesome kidno>| beans were taken home for the pigs. About eightpenee a peck, he said, was all th«t could be obtained for his peas, and the gardener decided to eat them. Thirc is evidently an opening for a man who will deliver regularly from gafden to householder.

Press messages relating to the Blenhom tennis tournament ami racing meetings did not come to hand as they should have done on Boxing night, and •we were blaming the Press Association officials for their remissness. It appears, nowever, that we were mistaken. Yesterday the borough engineer came' across i number of press wires addressed to (he News in an out-of-the-way corner at {he municipal chambers, Subsequent investigation by the post office officials revealed the fact that the messenger had thrown them there instead of doing his duty. The boy, who was only employed casually, had hitherto proved reliable. The telegrams contained the information for the non-sending of which we had wrongly blamed the Press Association, to whom we duly apologise.